Customer Reviews

The Elements of Screenwriting

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Although the title would seem to aim this book at a specialized market, this is in fact an excellent guide for writers in all markets. The theme of the book is that a well-written story will be much easier to sell than a poorly written one. The majority of the book is devoted to guidelines for plot and character development in the context of the specialized requirements of film and television. Many of the directions in the book are applicable to writing aimed at a wide variety of markets. There are several useful examples of actual scripts and other industry-specific forms that serve as bluprints for the aspiring film and television writer. There are also examples of synopsis and treatments as they are used in the industry. The second half of the book is devoted to the mechanics of the visual entertainment industry and how the script and writer fit in. The appendices deal with the Writers Guild and include an agency list. This book is a must-have for the aspiring film and television writer.

This unassuming, no-non-sense little book is one of the best, if not the best, ever written on screenwriting. The book is divided into two parts. The first concerns basic storytelling and is appropriate for any genre: fiction, narrative non-fiction, screenplays, etc. These initial chapters discuss conflict, structure, character, exposition, and dialogue. The second half is primarily devoted to the mechanics of putting a screenplay together. It addresses the look of a professional script and production considerations. The last chapter concerns the business aspects of screenwriting. The book was originally published in 1986, so this 1996 re-publication is simply a photocopy of the original with a new cover. But don't let the publication date fool you into thinking the material is outdated, even though the material may well show its age. Still, this is the place to start to build the basic skills for screenwriting. Many established screenwriters would do well to heed Irwin Blacker's sage advice.

You can wade your way through Robert McKee's 465 pages in Story, Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting, and you should, but I find that book unnecessarily complicated when discussing the essence of story. On the other hand, Irwin Blacker understands that story is conflict, pure and simple. Blacker's book cuts to the chase. It's his initial focus on conflict and the way it structures the telling of a story that is the most impressive. His description of "locking the conflict" had a major impact on my book concerning novel writing.

Erwin R. Blacker didn't come upon his expertise by accident. He was a graduate of Ohio University, had a doctorate in English from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, and was the author of twenty-two books of fiction and non-fiction, plus numerous screenplays and teleplays. He was a reviewer for the New York Times and taught at USC from the mid-1960s to 1978. He was an emeritus professor at the USC School of Cinema and Television at the time of his death. Professor Blacker was at work on this book, and indeed, it wasn't yet complete. His wife, daughter, son-in-law, and teaching assistant completed the work from his class notes and audio recordings of his lectures. He taught many of Hollywood's most-successful moviemakers. One of them was George Lucas. Professor Blacker died in February 1985 of a heart attack at the age of 65.

One of the easiest to read, and accessibly informative books on writing that any person interested in either film, or writing generally could get their hands on.

And if you want to be a writer of films? Priceless.

good book, easy read, useful information. great price, shipped super fast, shipping materials inadequate - book arrived bent.